The American Heart Association invites health and thought-leaders involved with heart failure research and programs to come together for a Twitter chat about the impact of this condition faced by nearly 6 million Americans. The focus will be on best practices and potential solutions for tackling this costly and deadly disease.

Nearly 6 million Americans suffer from heart failure. That figure is expected to increase as the population ages, to more than 8 million people by 2030.

Heart failure is one of the most common reasons people age 65 and older go into the hospital. In fact, there are more than 1 million hospitalizations for heart failure annually – that’s nearly 2 hospitalizations every minute

One in nine deaths in America includes heart failure as a contributing cause; up to 50 percent of people with heart failure will die within five years of being diagnosed. Heart failure is deadlier than many cancers, including breast cancer, leukemia and colon cancer.

Total medical costs to treat heart failure are projected to increase from $14.3 billion in 2015 to $29.2 billion in 2030.

The expert panel will include representatives from the American Heart Association, the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses, the Association of Black Cardiologists and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association.

Format:

A panel of medical and community leaders will take part in a moderated Twitter chat.

Other heart failure program or healthcare leaders from around the country are encouraged to join the discussion, ask questions and share their experience in managing HF patients and programs.

Media are invited to follow the conversation and ask questions.

###

About the American Heart Association:

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebookand Twitter.